Given Freely
by ichkak
Summary: Aizen won and in punishment, Ichigo knew he deserved to be used as the power mad mans toy. But it seems that Aizen hasn't got the heart to dish out as much punishment as the kids wants. Set after the death of Ulquiorra with Aizen Ichigo pairing.
1. The Prize

I might be about to make a complete nana of myself if they update the manga and it doesn't include my conclusions! However, this contains spoilers beyond chapter 354. I like the Ichigo Aizen pairing and I wanted to do another. Oh and I don't do Gin with a funny accent because in my viewing and reading I can see no evidence for it! Add to the fact its a bitch to write ;)

Warnings - swearing, yaoi and smex. Later descriptions of battle fields.

Summary - Truth was, he knew what Aizen wanted from him. He couldn't find one bone in his body that didn't willingly think he worth even that much. His kill and attempted kill condemned him to a fate he didn't care either way for.

So here enjoy this taster.

* * *

Aizen stood at the bottom of the gaping hole in the roof of Hueco Mundo and allowed one eyebrow to rise marginally. He could no longer feel the essence of Ulquiorra swimming calmly around the place and instantly he knew that this fresh bitter taste of shinigami-hollow mix was the reason.

"Kurosaki Ichigo." The lord said in his not to be questioned tone. "Come before me."

With a flash of speed not even bettered by Stark, the boy stood arrogantly looking with his glare. He'd grown stronger in the lords absence that much was obvious. The near naked state of this hybrid with torn clothing with the added perfume of victory hung like a seductive beacon to the dark haired man already fresh from his own triumph. What a perfect prize for a war hero. "You will replace what you have lost me." This child, his booty, if he was powerful enough to beat the 'happy' clowned face of his number four, he was good enough to stand in the position of his fallen espada. Later, they'd gather after licking their wounds and reassess the damage and make plans for the revival of his battle sore empire. But now at this moment, he wanted some reward.

"You won?" The accusatory tone echoed in the vast hallway laced with so many questions beyond the one simple demand. What was left for him to return to? Who was left? What state where they in and where were all the friends he brought with him?

"Your comrades need rest. We shall talk later. Gin." The silver headed man appeared with his smile and slanting eyes bowing reverently to his master. "See to our guests."

"If they've left any room standing." The sly man chuckled wiggling a finger towards Ichigo beckoning him to follow.

Ichigo turned to Orihime, he wasn't going to leave her behind now, not after everything he and his friends had been through. She rushed to his side and he waited again for Ishida to gather his bleeding body and also join them.

"Ishida-kun..." Orihime went to heal him but Ichigo stopped her.

"Not yet." The simple phrase left Ichigo's lips as he gathered a swaying Quincy in his arms despite his protest.

Aizen watched the ginger boy leave with his friends and he allowed a moments thought how the boy had won. The fight must have truly magnificent, it was sad he could no longer ask for a replay.

Was there any loyalty in Ichigo for a new master if indeed he was capable of being loyal to anyone? He knew enough details of his obedience towards the sotaicho. It wasn't going to be a smooth ride.

...

"Whoa!" Even Rukia who had seen the apparition of Hichigo before, stepped back when the trio entered. The aura of Ichigo was horrific, something so much more sinister was dripping from his soul now and it reeked of something unholy. It might have been his angered face was tarnished with blood or the raw increased hollow power that was seeping like venom from him.

Ichigo ignored the stares of his comrades and placed a faint Ishida down on a bed.

"Heal him now." He ordered Orihime before standing and turning to leave.

"Ichigo..." Byakuya's cold voice entered the void. They stared at each other and something passed between them, the whole room wanted to know the outcome of the war, but no one needed to say anything. Ichigo's expression said it all. So they were captives now.

"Ichigo..." Rukia called her friend, she didn't understand why was he leaving, he looked so tired.

With one hand on the door, he turned his head half way. "I don't belong here now." Truth was, he knew what Aizen wanted from him. He couldn't find one bone in his body that didn't willingly think he worth even that much. His kill and attempted kill condemned him to a fate he didn't care either way for. The little boy that lost his mother couldn't grieve for the teen that lost a way of life. That lost the person he once was. Ichigo knew he couldn't ever go back now. Aizen had won, he'd won everything, including the boy once named Kurosaki Ichigo.

The quiet room watched him leave before all eyes turned to Orihime and Ishida.

Ishida braved the pain of reconstruction to speak. "We watched him die." He dipped his head down wishing he could turn back the clock and let the beast of guilt within his mind rest. "A huge hole in his chest... He morphed into...something... it was terrible. I mean he ripped Ulquiorra's arm off with his bare hands."

"Ishida, you shouldn't talk any more." Orihime interrupted him in the guise he should rest, but in reality, she didn't want to hear what he had to say. It had been bad enough to watch.

"You saw it didn't you? You saw HIM?"

"I don't want..." Orihime looked away with tears brimming in her eyes.

"HE TRIED TO KILL ME!" Ishida screamed then fell into a fit of coughing with blood seeping through his lips.

"Che, anyone would try to kill ya, given how annoying you are. Shut up and heal emo boy." Renji shoved Ishida flat on the bed and patted Orihime on the shoulder.

...

"Back already?" Aizen didn't look up from his tea as the boy approached, the looming dark spiritual energy announced his arrival way before his body was in view. Instead he sat at the head of his table, legs crossed, contemplating the road ahead. "Tea?" He asked finally looking up. Ichigo shook his head and held onto the back of a chair. "At least sit before you untidy my floor." The boy looked ready to collapse, he was only human after all. "Gin, one more task before you retire." Aizen was confident that Gin didn't need his attention as he spoke, he was far too interested in watching the boy's face droop and his head begin to sag onto his chest.

"Yeah Sosuke?"

"Kurosaki will need his body." Gin bowed and paused as the boy slid into unconsciousness.

"Do God's have play things?" Gin let one finger trail through the golden hair of the sleeping teen.

"If they wish it." He gave a small smile. "Better get some insurance whilst you're at it."

"You reckoned they survived?"

"Find Kisuke and you'll find the family."

"You're the boss!" Gin grinned widely and chuckled as Aizen's smug grin grew ever so slightly. "He's very young."

"He gained his powers in May at the age of 15, yet turned 16 this past July. Would you question my laws?"

"Heh, you know me, innocent as the driven snow Sosuke. Glass houses and that hey Captain?" He laughed whilst walking away.

Aizen took his cup to his lips and finished the rapidly cooling green fluid. His eyes took a leisurely stroll over the sleeping young man and the first genuine smile graced his lips. As a man who appreciated artistic beauty of a sculpted body: the curves, planes and the undercurrent of power were all things addictive to a man who wanted to taste everything the dimensions could offer. He'd had wealth, status, power and land. He had reputation, fearlessness and health. He wanted to hold, taste and devour beauty next.

The other thing he possessed was patience. So he could wait for beauty to wake.

...

The first thing the waking teen saw was a veil of white gently moving in a breeze. It was the most amazing thing he saw this side of his reality and he let his mind stay there watching it for quite some time. He didn't want to move, he felt far too comfortable. Just for a little longer he didn't want to admit what he was. What he'd done. It was far nicer to stay in denial and just let this mess of feather down pillows, blankets and satin sheets devour him. Who would want to leave this haven of comfort and face what he had to.

Across the room, Aizen was finding the new view in his room captivating. He knew that the boy was awake, but it seemed he was as yet not ready to be up. Instead, the lord enjoyed his vantage point in the deep winged back chair that sat beside the open window, to gaze with wonder at his four poster bed and the creature resting in it. It was something he had already enjoyed doing for several hours and he would have been content to do so for many more, had three torn and disrupted dimensions not needed his attention.

The fraccion who'd been standing quietly awaiting instructions noticed the silent nod from his master and headed off into the bathroom, his feet leaving the faintest of echo's across the polished floor. Ichigo's eyes darted towards the sound and saw the glimmer of a bathroom through the open door the male hollow had gone into. Sounds of running water soon filled the silence and Ichigo watched as the small man reappeared and still within his view, opened closet doors to unhook a white outfit and take it back into the bathroom.

"That for me?" Ichigo's hoarse voice asked.

"So you knew I was here?"

"You're kinda noisy." The kid hadn't lost his sense of humour at least.

"My presence does not alarm you?"

"Should it?" The teen took his time to answer and pulled himself into a sitting position. "I mean, what's the point? I'm just another puppet you've been playing with. So now, thanks to Ulquiorra I... You've already made me do things I didn't want to... See things I shouldn't have. Become something I didn't want to." It was this moment that Aizen saw Ichigo's eyes clearly for the first time. Where once there was fire and defiance now shone pain and hate. A deep self loathing was brewing just beneath the surface and ready to strike.

"You think that anyone feels any different after their first kill? You are not a child any more. Grow up Kurosaki, there isn't any time for self pity." Aizen stood and walked towards the bed.

"I want him gone."

"Who?"

"WHO!" Ichigo flew into a fury. "You bloody well know who!"

"Your hollow defines who you are."

"I nearly killed Ishida!"

"Go take your bath. I have people to see." In his succinct way Ichigo was dismissed and Aizen turned to the servant. "Ning see that he eats and bring him to me when he is done." Ichigo watched the flurry of free flowing robes leave the room and he flopped back onto his pillow with a deep sigh.

"Screw you, you fucking bastard."

The thing named Ning, prodded Ichigo in the shoulder and he chose to ignore it. If he wasn't ready to get up, then why the hell should he? The prod turned into many more repeated over and over. "What!" Ichigo snapped at the annoying freak. Prod, prod, prod. "Alright, I'm getting up!" He yelled and flipped the covers back with a furious fling.


	2. Punishments

Ichigo, towel around his waist, looked at the clothes hanging for him to wear.

"Figures." He tutted. He sighed and ran a hand through his damp hair and slumped onto the side of the bath staring at the outfit. If anything, he didn't have much of a choice, his own clothes were ruined in his last battle and now neatly carried away as he cleaned himself off. So all that was left were _those._ Didn't the bastard say he was to replace what he had lost. Ichigo tutted again and stood. This was nothing more than an attempt to wipe his nose in his own misery and he was sorry to admit that it actually worked.

With the longest sigh ever known to humans he stood and slid the zipped jacket from the hanger over his body. Of course Ulquiorra had been a smaller man and so the jacket fitted snug against his body. His navel and a lot more, proudly showed underneath the shorter front length where the rear feel down the back of his thighs. The hakama pants had to be slung low so to reach his ankles and then in turn show off a beautiful splash of tanned skin on his abdomen with his hips barely hidden. A long mirror showed his shame further and his face slid into one of utter contempt. This was a life he was going to have to get used to. Where else did he belong but with the killing machines that were the Espada? He deserved to be amongst the stench of hell and live how they lived. There was no space for feeling sorry for himself, no time to regret what he had done, and what was the point in that anyway? Even Inoue couldn't undo what he had done to the number four.

His slow steady steps followed the being called Ning down the hallway, they'd only gone two doors, but they'd seemed to be a mile apart. The little thing, looking very much like a Munchkin knocked on the door and pushed it open.

Ichigo followed Ning into the room and gave it a bored glance. Rows and rows and rows of books filled his visual field. Floor to ceiling the book cases were enormous.

"I think a change of cut would look better on you." Aizen's voice dragged Ichigo's eyes to the left and centre of the room. The man sat behind a vast desk that must have rivalled his bed in size. The top was covered in yet more books and writing materials, yet all neat and in their places.

With his hands in his pockets, very Ulquiorra style, Ichigo shuffled forward to the desk.

"I assume you want to get to business?" The smile that responded creeped Ichigo out.

...

"Has anyone seen Ichigo yet?" Renji dared asked the tall dark haired male lazily leaning against the wall. His vacant face turned and looked at Renji with bored expression and shook his head.

"You would be?"

"Abarai Renji."

"Stark." The small bow of respect made Renji gasp, a polite Espada, no way. "The comrade you seek is engaged. You best not look for him right now if at all. He doesn't want to be found."

"Is that bastard hurting him?" Renji's fists clenched and felt the unease of not having his sword.

"That bastard is your master." Stark added with a yawn, what kind of guard was this guy?

"Is that master bastard – sama hurting him?" Renji replied not hiding his distaste with a scowl.

"How would I know?"

"I dunno, arn't you a top dog round here? Surely you don't keep your head up your ass all day?"

...

If Renji had had a camera, one snap shot of the study would show the beautiful young man with his arms above his head, head tilted up, breathing heavily, sweating, in the afterglow of an orgasm. He was naked, but with this view, we could only see the rapid rise and fall of his chest.

Aizen thought he looked even more beautiful like this.

Another snap shot would then focused on his hands, they were entwined in the grasp of his partner as they lay on the desk top. The hold was firm but encouraging, supporting his gradual come down as the teen hummed in a gruff breathless way, trying to recapture the ability to speak again.

The next click would show just the smile of a pleased giver, who was relishing the beauty beneath him. Whose attentive eyes watched every breath and pant. Whose ears heard every sound right up to the moment he came and the way he caught his breath now. Locks of brown hair fell around this face, tousled and messy from their antics to this point.

If the shot widened out, a clearer picture could be seen. Because now we can see that the younger male's face is not contorted with the pleasure as we thought. His hands are held to stop him should he decide to try and get away from the fully dressed sadistic male pinning him down. His breaths are mixed with pants of pain and distress. His face not only in the fall of forced pleasure but fear too.

"I will cherish you." The smiling lips of Aizen whispered but the teen looked away in disgust. But that feeling was not for the one's who's hand was still working his cock to keep it firm for another round. It was for himself. He'd given himself, he'd allowed this. Right now, he regretted that choice.

The teens legs began to flail with the shock of that same hand reaching beyond his ball sac to the opening he only knew so far was for the simple operation of expelling waste from his body. Years of living in a hygienic world with a doctor as a father and years of sex ed' that told them that place was dirty, full of germs and absolutely held nothing remotely pleasurable.

The look of disgust grew as Aizen roamed his tongue up the side of Ichigo's turned face. It wasn't a rushed motion, speed wouldn't aid his bid to wind Ichigo up further. It was long and languid. Winding, sensing and very wet. It spoke of the boys obvious disgust and utter submission. The pleasure he'd felt was fake, this wasn't at all meant for him to enjoy, there was only one person enjoying this so far.

"You shouldn't look away from me." The man smiled turning the boys head back and with fingers that had just been down south, pressed into the boys mouth. "Unless I want you too."

Ichigo was abruptly rolled onto his side and those fingers were roughly pressed inside him. With a swallowed gasp of surprise the teen didn't have long to realise this was really really really going to happen, one fierce thrust behind him and the bastard was buried deep between his cheeks.

Ichigo's eyes flew open and a scream erupted from his mouth as the pain ripped at his walls.

"Isn't this what you expected? Me being rough? Don't you deserve it like this?" The Man purred into his ear and Ichigo drew back his pained protests and nodded biting down on his lips and clenching at the hand that held his own. "First times always hurt don't they?" The man said as he began a jerking rhythm into the boys body. "This is it Ichigo. Just what you wanted. Just what you should be getting. For ever... My toy to fuck as I please..."

Aizen smirked at the boy pretending he was a man. The eyes shone of inexperience with a huge mix of bravado. The eyes dulled as Aizen's lips descended onto that elongated neck. "This is not what you want?" The God asked.

"Only... free men... get a choice." Ichigo ground out between his clenched teeth.

"You are not chained to this castle. Nor this land. Have I once said you could not leave?" Aizen continued in a pace he could freely through. It gave him time to focus on tormenting the teen further and the senses to feel the tremor in his body. It wouldn't have surprised him to find the boy had tears in his eyes, yet sadly he could not see his face enough.

"I lost... my choice when... I gained a hollow." Ichigo clenched his eyes shut and wished that he could block everything out. But this was all too real impossible to hide from.

"Then be quiet my little runt _Amargo Fresa_ ." Ichigo's closed his eyes remained that way so not to not see the hand touched his face and drag his head around. He did deserve this, deserved since the day he lost his mother. He should be in hell, he should be in hell. The lips against his meant nothing. None of this meant any thing. Not the way those hands had taken the clothes from his back or cared little for his comfort by throwing him onto the wooden surface of the desk. Not the way his body was entered without care or the feeling of someone taking their pleasure from him. He had abandoned himself, just as he had abandoned his friends. He was even indifferent to the new name _Bitter Strawberry_.

Aizen played with his rag doll in the way he saw fit. It suited Aizen in his current mood. He was of course lord of all and therefore free to take that which pleased him. This body pleased him and he was content with being able to touch and taste and feel. The fact the boy gave himself freely and did not engage in a battle only added to the feeling of overwhelming an enemy and being victorious.

Grunts of discomfort did not put him off, his stride was sure and steady for the twenty minutes he pounded away like this. Feeling the flush on his oncoming release, he tossed the boy onto his stomach and gave his last minutes to pounding without care and letting the feeling rise and rise from his core and explode in a flash of a bejewelled sun over his vision.

The boy beneath him let his head fall to the desk with a soft clonk in relief it was over. His pained gasps, lessened when Aizen pulled free but his motionless state showed that the pain lingered.

A thirst built in the brown haired man and this wasn't enough to quench it. Yet something was wrong with the sight before him. Something was wrong inside the man that had taken the liberty of stealing such innocence. He didn't feel the victory he expected after all. Instead in its place was a shallow feeling remorse.

Silently with a constant vigil on his chosen one, he wiped the evidence of blood and semen from his still hard erection and took a moment to clean the flinching boy. Ichigo seemed bemused by the tender touches as he was pulled to his feet and calmly dressed. Aizen's face was devoid of any clues and the ginger teen couldn't work out what had changed, but something had.

"Come." Aizen began walking towards the door and Ichigo hesitated. The fear of having to face the others right now added coals to the fire of his self hate. They'd know, they'd hate him even more. The traitor that had tried to kill Ishida had sunk lower by offering his body to the man they'd risked their lives to defeat. He was lower than trash. "Come." Aizen repeated as he reached the door.

The teen hesitated only a moment later and his worries were etched on his face. They were worries that Aizen had thrust upon him and he felt a bitter after taste in his mouth. The teen was beside him within a moment and the Lord placed a hand on his shoulder. "You are not ready to see the others."

"No." Ichigo agreed.

"Follow." Aizen strode out into the oppressive long corridors and their sterile white washed walls. Two doors again and the door was pushed open to Aizen's rooms. Ichigo passed him with his head dropped to his chest resigned to being trapped in the room, but at least this solitary confinement suited his mood. He could bathe and sooth the ache in his tail.

What Ichigo didn't expect was the Lord to quietly leave him without a word as if he had somehow been dismissed for being a disappointment. The whole anticlimax of rescuing Inoue fell on his shoulders and he gasped at the swell of pain at being alone. He rushed back to the door relieved to find it open.

Aizen had wanted to make amends for his poor treatment. He wanted to put right something that had not really been his place to take. He may be a tyrant, ruled with an iron fist and took his wrath out with blood but that had only been on those that had failed to deliver what they promised. Ichigo, had not failed. He'd inspired admiration which was a whole knew concept in this white sandy world. Aizen had felt for the first time in many many years the consuming need to take something which he knew was not tactically sound. He'd given in to a weakness.

The voice of Ichigo calling him from the door of his room startled him from his deep thoughts and he turned on his heels concealing his surprise at the sight of a male who was barley an adult reaching out and taking hold of his robes. The look on the boys face spoke a million thoughts.

"Don't." A breathy forced plea echoed through the hallway. Aizen tilted his head forcing Ichigo in his silence to end that sentence. "Don't leave me alone."

"Why?"

"I..." Ichigo frowned and shook his head. "I don't know." He really was in his living hell. Thoughts, feelings and regrets were crashing through him at an alarming rate and he couldn't make sense of it all. There was so much pain for the things he had done and seen. The confusion of needing the company of the man he's sought so long to defeat alarmed him. But through it all, a sense of justice and smite that should befall on his head sounded out loudest. This was his justice. To rid himself of guilt, he should shoulder this hell and face his future. He'd never run from anything before, he couldn't run from this now. Pain wasn't anything new to him, if anything it was the norm.

Aizen Sosuke crashed his lips down on the boys and gripped him by his shoulders. Ichigo felt the push and went with it allowing the stronger man to press him back towards the bed. The passion that Aizen had managed to control before broke free and in a tangle of clothes Ichigo was soon naked beneath the bare flesh of Aizen again. It was so soon after his first that Aizen's fingers found themselves slicked in blood and he hesitated.

"Do it." Ichigo looked up and met the man's gaze with unshakable certainty. "Do it."

"I will hurt you." Aizen looked down at the boy's flushed face and half lidded eyes. He watched him bite his lip and tilt his head up as a mumbled groan shook through his chest but he still pressed into the already torn hole.

"Make it hurt more." Ichigo's lost eyes turned back to Aizen's almost with a jolt of electricity the pain inside the boy radiated out and caused the older man to break his rhythm and stop. "Please... I want the pain."

Aizen frowned and pulled free. This truly was not what he wanted. Know he knew how much he wanted the boy, he didn't want it like this. He sat on the edge of the bed and slid his arms back into the discarded robe on the floor.

Ichigo's hand reached out to catch hold of anything to make the man stay with him, but he was too slow and Aizen rose and turned. Ichigo paled at the sight of his cold eyes and disgusted face.

"Go and play those games with Gin, I am not interested." The dark hair swept around Aizen's face as he turned away quickly and set into a purposeful stride towards the bathroom.

Ichigo's breath hitched in anguish as he realised he was in danger of being left alone again. His sole source of hope and divine atonement was leaving him.

With a quick toss of the bed clothes, Ichigo rushed between the lord and the door and knelt at his feet.

"Look, I'm begging you!" Ichigo looked up with wide pleading eyes. "Don't leave me."

"What do you want Ichigo? What can you not live without?"

"This." Ichigo tugged at a large hand and kissed the knuckles fiercely. "Your touch." He placed the hand against his cheek.

"Touch be can soft like a feather or harsh like a slap." Aizen knew that Ichigo thought him only capable of giving pain, but he was a man too. He felt the need for contact and support as much as anyone. Why else did he regret the passing of Ulquiorra?

"Don't leave me alone."

"Make up your mind. It is you who is playing games now and I am tired of your assumptions that I should be somehow responsible for dishing out your pain. What am I to you? An excuse to feel miserable, a lie you can tell yourself so you do not have to open your eyes and see the world outside?"

"I should be punished."

"People die Ichigo. Every second of every day and there is nothing you can do to stop it. The death dished out at the end of your sword is no more than what happened in every war through the ages. Battles are fought and won and there is always casualties. If you continue to consider yourself a worthless being, then I have no more time for you."

"I'll do anything, please." He bowed placing his forehead onto the floor.

"It is not your weaknesses that I crave, it is your strength. It always was it always has been." The words were surprisingly soft as was the hand that sat on his head. "Look at me." The tufts of ginger rose slowly and Ichigo looked amazed at the depth of Aizen's eyes. The man had crouched to be on a closer level and was now rubbing a soft thumb over his jaw. "Tell me how you feel about me."

"Feel?"

"Yes. Feel."

"I..." Ichigo searched inside himself for the drifting feelings he had not paid attention to. Once he tried to place them they seemed to fall into some form of order and at the forefront of it was most defiantly caused by Aizen's presence. The words fell easily and with them fell tears of relief as an inner understanding and sense of purpose landing in place. "Any thing you want of me, I'll do it. I'll run to the moon, or cut down all of Soul Society."

"And what should I do for you?" The man asked with a whisper as he leaned in and kissed a damp cheek.

"...Stay with me."

"Why?" The boy was confused. "One sided relationships? Is that enough. Do you hate me?"

"No."

"I want you to stand at my side and guide me towards making everything right. To make amends for the damage, to right the wrongs on both sides. I wish that you grow strong enough to face your demons and win... I want to see a smile in these eyes and hear a laugh fall from these lips... I want to take you in my bed every night and treat you gently, with care... with love."

"Love?"

"Yes, Remember how special you are, remember the person that cared so much for his comrades. Ichigo, the worlds need your compassion and your selfless devotion. They need your temper and you spirit... I need them too."

"Whe... When did you..."

"If it was yesterday, last year or this moment, it makes no difference does it? Let me heal you."

"How?"

"So?" Aizen stood in the middle of the once busy shopping centre and looked to the teen beside him. The first steps to healing had to be to face the real facts of the war. The real levels of death and that his one kill meant very little on the scale of things. Here death was in the form of thousands of decaying bodies strewn where they had fallen, amongst them, where emergency workers from other towns hoping to find at least one victim alive in this mysterious death zone. The making of the Kings Key had taken them all.

Ichigo's eyes settled on the body of a woman and a son. They lay side by side their hands still held tightly, the groceries they had just brought around their feet. He felt the bubbling of something deep inside him that he'd let lay hidden and dormant for a long time begin to rise and swell around his belly. It rose higher and higher as he watched an emergency worker kick the woman's feet to see if she was alive. Was that it? Was that all they were going to do? Ichigo closed his eyes fighting back the tears that were pressing hard for recognition. He turned away, from the pair, knowing he couldn't bare to see them again. It was too close to home for him. He tore his eyes open and watched the 'clean up' operation as body after body was scooped up and dumped onto the back of an open backed truck. One body fell onto another and no care seemed to be afforded any of them. It was too impersonal, to brutal.

"Take me back." Ichigo hissed angrily.

"You wanted to see."

"...Doesn't this matter to you? Don't you care?" Ichigo flew into a rage and he grabbed Aizen's robes with two tight fists. "You killed them all! Women, children...Babies!" He shook the tall man not caring for the consequences of his actions and let the tears begin to fall, someone had to cry for them. Someone had to care. "What for? What gives you the right to be so selfish!?" If he saw it coming he did nothing to avoid it; Aizen's head swung violently to the side as Ichigo's fist collided with his jaw.

"Let me hold you." Aizen turned his head slowly back to the youth, his face full of compassion. His deep dark brown eyes were pools of concern. "Has anyone held you since you lost your mother? How long have you needed comfort and no one offered it to you?"

"Are you mad?" Ichigo pushed Aizen away and he looked at him with eyes full of that pain and tears that screamed of his need. His whole body began to shake with the swell of emotions assaulting him and crumpled to the floor overwhelmed by it all.

"Let me hold you." Aizen held out one hand towards Ichigo and the kid looked at it as if it would burn him to hold it. Tears fell freely down his face and he wrapped his arms around his body trying to contain the wretched trembling. "I will make it all better."

"Don't be a fool!" Ichigo sobbed. "What could make this better? What could ever make this better? You are a murderer!"

"I killed for a reason. Why did you kill? What reason did you have?" The tea coloured eyes opened widely and his face fell into shock. It the words were meant to calm him, they did not. Instead they sent him further away and deeper into the pit of horror.

"I'm in hell. I'm in hell... I'm in hell..." He drew his knees up and began to slowly rock on the spot, his mantra slipping from his lips like an echo.

Aizen stooped down to the huddle of body and drew him into his chest. A wall of protection wrapped around the distraught male, soothing fingers trailed through his hair and lips offering promises of redemption pressed to his ear. Calmness came again, much later. It had taken all the time it took to take away the last body before Ichigo was lucid enough to lift his head from the chest he'd leaned into. He let a large thumb slide away his drying tears and he was too exhausted to care when he was lifted like a child in arms into the heavens.

"Trust in me Ichigo. Do you want a world of promise? A world of right and justice? A world of balance and fairness? Do you want to be loved like you were with your mother? I'll never be ripped from your arms."

"Let me go." He said wearily. "I can't do this... I... I'm so useless."

"I'll listen to your fears and hold you when your scared. I'll encourage you to grow and teach you how to love again. One day, if you let me, I'll show you how wonderful you really are. Don't hate yourself. Don't let yourself drown like this any more."

"Bring them back. Bring them all back."

"One life here equates to many more elsewhere. These people are the hope of everything, that is why I can stand amongst the dead and know what I do is right. You'll see it too. You'll see it with me, beside me. Because of you, because of love like this, because of wanting to live a better life, I did this. You'll see just how right the worlds can be. Wouldn't you like that?"

"..."

"If you stand beside me. Be with me. Love me and I can."

Ichigo nodded slightly and looked into the beautiful eyes staring down at him. Glistening inside was the vision of empires and harmony. "Will you?"

"Yes." The timid whisper was rewarded with a soft smile and a tender gentle kiss on his lips.

Had he sold his soul to the devil or been delivered to the foot of God, Ichigo didn't know. He didn't want to know anything but those promises. He'd give his soul, just as all the people of his town had for that.


	3. Taunting

Inside his mind Ichigo usually had a place to retreat to. He could fall into the warped space of his inner world and feel nothing of what was happening to his body. Of course that meant being confronted by the images reflected back from the windows of his world. But he knew all that was being shown today was the blank ceiling of Aizen's bedroom and his bitter loneliness. Aizen's presence had left him some time ago, once his shivering body had calmed and fallen asleep. The hollow had no interest in taking over right now, being inside Ichigo's mind was going to be far more amusing; beginning with taunting him in the dark moon lit sky with just his cackling laugh as the boy stood looking into the bone mask face that covered his own in a reflection from all the glass windows. Every pane of glass that Ichigo looked into, the huge horns rose up from his head and the long hair fell down his naked back. Ichigo closed his eyes to shake the image but it didn't work, when the ominous figure came in dangerously close.

"Come to say thank you for saving your life?" The hollow laughed as Ichigo's eyes snapped open to find that the familiar twin had now morphed into the horned devil. "There is more of me in your blood now than you can ever run from. You are more hollow than human. Hiding in that human shell won't stop me winning over you."

...

Aizen had wanted to stay and comfort the boy for longer, see that his sleep was restful and to lessen his pain with a lesson in real love. He wanted to right one wrong today and that was the hurt built up inside this child. He wanted to take that child and show him joining together was meant to be until the fireworks ran out from their souls. Alas, trouble was brewing in the castle and trouble was brewing amongst his other guests. They needed some solace too and Ichigo was forced to wait. At least he slept and hopefully would still be doing so when he finished his meeting. Now placed in his body with promises of his families safety, he could rest contented.

...

The air around Ichigo had grown chilled and it was none of the Hollows doing, it was Ichigo's physical response to the presence of the mind fuck his hollow was attempting.

The walls were dripping against gravity up towards the tips of the buildings in a vivid red. A smell began to permeate through the air, dank, dark, vile metallic blood, so rank Ichigo could taste it on his tongue. Images of Ulquiorra's last moments now shone in the mirrored glass like a movie stuck on repeat. Just for effect, Ishida's blood covered body with Zangetsu sticking out his stomach flicked on and off at random moments. If he concentrated enough, there were images too dotted around, married with Ichigo's fears, of his other friends also maimed and gutted by the same sword, his sword. Of course all that was reflected in the windows was felt inside his heart. Each wound he had inflicted caused him real pain, each image, real or not could cut him, burn him, taunt him.

"Do you think that any of that matters any more?" Ichigo spun around trying to fathom where the Hollow had vanished to. Thousands of images of the number 4's demise shone brightly in his eyes instead. He knew he couldn't let the bastard get to him. But that didn't mean he wasn't. "We don't live in the real world any more, we live here in the pits of hell. What does it matter if you beat me?" His voice broke into a sob. "What does it matter any more? What do I give a fuck about it for? Hey? Your not that important!" He sank to his knees. "Not that important. I'm not that important." The hollow watched with a sneer as the kid buried his head in his arms and sobbed into the hard ground. This wasn't any fun at all.

"So lost your bottle?" The hollow's serious voice was more eerie that his taunting one. Ichigo's red sore eyes looked up at the normalised Hichigo. The albino held out a small blade and dropped it only centimetres from the boys knees. "Be a man then." He snarled back and shook Ichigo back into his outer world, there in his hand the cold blade stung his palm.

...

Aizen stopped talking mid flow. He could see that he wasn't the only one to sense what he could.

Those in the room looked to him for directions and ran to carry out his barked out orders with haste.

...

Ichigo's hand wrapped around the hilt of the blade gripping with enough force to cut into his skin and have blood seeping between his fingers. His arm was a mess of rippling muscles pushed to their limit as he fought to push his blade on its route.

He panted harshly and grimaced out a wail of effort at the hand battling to stop his blade ripping into the naked flesh just under its tip.

Aizen's concern about the rise in his reiatsu was well earned and entered the chamber with some element of haste, stopping dead at the sight before him. Ichigo knelt on the floor, his two hands around the hilt of hip blade and its edge already just piercing his stomach. It was obvious there was a fight of wills happening within the boy, one white hand evidence that the Hollow was in some way involved.

"What are you doing?" The Lord asked with caution as he slowly approached.

"Ending it!" Ichigo roared through his impassioned fight.

"You wanna die, I wanna watch ya suffer more!" His hollow echoed from the same lips, he wanted the fight, the pain, the prolonged agony. He never expected Ichigo to act so quickly.

"You don't have to do this." Aizen approached the frightened child slowly and knelt. "Let me." He reached a hand slowly forward and placed it over Ichigo's, noticing the fierce trembling of effort he was having with himself.

"I Do." The boy growled his eyes blazing with all that hate he felt for himself.

"Stop." Aizen ordered him, but Ichigo shook his head.

"I can't." His angered face continued to look full of rage, yet huge fat tears began to fall.

"I can help you. All you have to do, is accept my support." There must have been a row inside the boy for his eyes closed and his eyes shook side to side quickly.

"You have always been a man of your word Ichigo. You promised me you would be by my side."

"I'm not that important." Ichigo whimpered in a broken tone.

"You are to me." Aizen whispered. Ichigo was almost blinded by his inner turmoil, but he was able to see those deep eyes of the tyrant. Usually so hardened, reserved, yet...yet... "Very import." Close to tears?

Ichigo's eyes closed to the pain he witnessed, his lips were taught and his head jolted in silent inner speech to the hollow. Promises were all he'd based his life on so far. Promises he'd tried to keep and mostly did.

"Stay with me Ichigo." The lord said and felt the conflict hesitate under his palm as he cupped the teens cheek. "Please." The last implored word was hardly whispered at all and Ichigo couldn't bare the sound as it crashed like a tanker into his ears; so soft yet devastating.

The blade fell to the floor and the boy sank his head into his palms as he began to weep. Of all the people in the world, he never would have expected the arms of Aizen to hold him and rock him gently.

...

Isshin was worried about Ichigo. He had felt that anguished rush of his energy that could be no one but his son. The father in him was too concerned to care much for his own neck, he had to do what he could for his eldest. Without knocking the man burst through the doors of Aizen's rooms knocking the two guarding hollows into the walls as he did so.

His enraged eyes looked over at a sight he never expected to see.

In front of the large window sat a handsome winged back chair in which sat the lord of his dreaded castle. Between his legs sat the missing teen, leaning back against the older man's chest, his head turned into the soft brown hair his arms securely wrapped around his chest and held in place by Aizen's. But what amazed Isshin most was how peaceful Ichigo looked. For the first time since, well since then, Ichigo was free of his scowl, his anger and hate. His chest rose and fell slowly, deeply and Isshin noticed, he was fast asleep.

The sight was tender, caring... loving.

"I... I was worried about him." He looked at the man staring at him.

"You took your time to get here all the same, but as you can see he is fine." Isshin wanted to growl out, that of course it took him time, he was deliberately delayed by Gin.

"What have you done to him?" Only a father could take that tone and use it to full effect.

"Does he look distressed?" Yet Aizen seemed immune to such glares and intonation.

"No." But I felt it. He was.

"He cried himself to sleep."

"There like that?"

"Here like this."

"What are your intentions? If you're hurting him..." The clenched fist said the rest for him.

"Your son expects to be hurt. He expects me to beat him." Aizen's fingers seemed very interesting to Isshin as the lord tugged them gently through the ginger stands. He was waiting the moment they stopped being gentle and showed their true intention.

"So help me..."

"Should I undress him for you? Do you wish to inspect him for injuries?"

"No."

"Then be satisfied that when he wakes, I will allow you to calm your mind. I will send him to you."

* * *

Short but thoughtful erm?


	4. Breaking

The white bedroom was hot and stuffy. Its occupants were already a long way along the lines of rebuke for such foolish behaviour as suicide.

"If one is to create a perfect world for so many, I have to remain with a single minded determination to reach that goal. I cannot sway, I cannot be distracted, I cannot dilute the vision. Sacrifices are required for those that follow."

"You don't give a shit if anyone dies do you!" Ichigo tugged on the bindings on his wrists, his outstretched arms wanted to be freed. The sheet beneath him crinkled and crumpled under his back and he grew angrier at being tethered so tightly. It was a protective measure Aizen felt was needed.

"Humans have such a blinkered view of death. It isn't an end of existence, its a revolving perpetual cycle, souls revolve they have a chance again, even hollows get a fresh start. So tell me now, that what I'm doing is wrong. Tell me when you know the injustices Soul Society placed on your friends. Think of Rukia's death sentence and not even my involvement in it. Every captain gathered, _even her own brother _was prepared to watch her die. You can worry and trouble yourself over the loss of those you've killed but what you have done is given them a chance for a whole new life under a new sun when the three worlds are healed. Is that so bad?" Aizen bent over the bed and his guest. His breath blew along his shoulder and his lips passed close to the tightly pursed ones of the boy contained. Aizen rested his index finger on the sweating writhing child's collar bone and began to slowly run his finger down, passing a nipple that jolted, catching the white sheet covering him and dragging it down to reveal the red slash of the suicidal blade. His finger passed over the wound lightly, causing the stomach to ripple and jump before pushing the sheet even lower, past a naked hip, a flash of red curls and semi aroused penis. The boys breath hitched and his legs thrashed in what little movement they were allowed. The cover continued on, down and down until the last of his toes was free and very naked.

Ichigo was panting heavily, waiting for something, anything to progress, but nothing came. Aizen stood tall again, letting his eyes wash over the fretting youth in his silence.

"What is it you want from me? Ulquiorra didn't share your bed." Aizen could feel Ichigo's power lapping at his own. It was furious that it had failed to remove his life. He wanted to beg for it to end as he dare not beg for release and freedom. He still felt he didn't deserve to live. So he lay, scared even if he tried to hide it, waiting for punishment and hopefully some repurchase for his actions.

"Did he not?" Aizen rose his smile a little higher. The soft brown hair fell over his face as he bent down and placed the softest of kisses on the partially erect member. Ichigo's whole body tensed and arched as if a flash of electricity had passed through him. He had wound himself into such a tight coil he could hardly cope with such softness. Aizen touched the boys cheek waiting for him to calm just a little "He was Lust after all." Ichigo could have growled and torn at the man's face when he pulled away, the waiting was torture. Aizen walked the room, his eyes drifted to the expanse of window and the sand beyond it. "Lust is defined as a craving desire that is uncontrollable. It is an excessive zest, or passion, with vast resources of needy wishes that relentlessly want to dominate the individual's inner being. Over come with lust they _crave_ and _hunger_ and _yearn._ But Ulquiorra drew it all inside himself with equal intoxicating control and turned into a way to covet all that should be pure and right. The demon inside him..."

"I met the demon." Ichigo recalled the winged devil he killed.

'_Ah yes, a hollow with an inner hollow met a vizard. They are even more similar than I thought.'_ Aizen mused. "Then you would have sated his desire by killing him. Released him if you prefer. He walked this castle tightly wound, holding himself under control and all the while his burning needs were undulating and pressing on him to thrash and spoil everything that was wrong in his mind."

"So what did he lust after?"

"How often did he refer to others as trash? He detested the weak and tainted and wanted a world of beings that deserved to live. He worshipped those he felt deserved to walk the worlds. He felt they would be allowed to reproduce and master living in a way that was as magnificent as he dreamt they were. He saw himself as a facilitator to that end, studying and making observations of those he felt worthy, those that deserved to pass onto the path of godliness...Then there is you Kurosaki Ichigo..." Aizen stalked back slowly, watching how every step saw more perspiration on the boys brow. His face reddening with the mental torment going on inside his brain. His cock, twitched and rose further until it stood proud on its own. "You who rose his bar higher and higher and redefined his perceptions of worthiness." Ichigo's toes clenched as the overlords finger nail ran up the underside of his cock causing him to hiss and gasp. "Your very soul taunted him and confused him as he watched it rise from the ashes of trash and overwhelm those here he felt were worthy of his following." Yet again he let go of the organ and the boy screwed his eyes shut now that his need had become dangerously painful. "Your impure spirit seemed to be an anomaly and believe me you fired his lust into such a frenzy he would at times bath the castle in swathes of uncontrollable heady energy until he couldn't cope. He'd seek me out to calm himself. Yes so we were bedfellows." Aizen flicked the red angry penis head and listened to the pain inhalation it brought out. "Angry..." He dug his finger nails into a nipple and watched the boy squirm. "...Violent." The finger nails dug in more denting the delicate skin and Ichigo let out a grunted moan of pain. "...Biting..." Aizen's finger nails now drew blood and tears welled in Ichigo's still clenched eyes. "...Dominating need which he loathed himself for." Slow and careful fingers fisted the weeping length and Ichigo whimpered pathetically as he was pumped incredibly slowly. "I brought him under control again, I battled down his energy and gave him back his control. For that he gave me his all." Ichigo screamed with indignation as Aizen let go again. His eyes shot open to stare with hate at the man's face as he leaned down so close he might just kiss him. Heady breathy pants met Aizen's lips as Ichigo forced his head as high as he could contort it, but the older man wouldn't give him that last bit of distance. Rich brown eyes stared into teary hazel ones. "He dedicated his desires for my end sharing the vision I have of prefect worlds."

"Sounds like..." Ichigo spat out his anger. "You both have a _Hitler _complex." Unprepared to reward that streak of independence, Aizen pulled up from the kiss he would have permitted, he knew Ichigo was so close to breaking and moving away from the bed again would drive the kid insane. Anger and lust were both tools to use and he had mastered them well. Indeed the boy did begin to tense even more, if that was possible, at the anticipation he would be left again. Just how far could Aizen retreat before his work was undone? How broken did he want the boy?

"You are transparent." He took himself from the bed and listened to the yelp of fear. That don't leave me alone, don't turn away from me anguish rose and fell as silent tears. Ichigo was so close to breaking now. "Your perfect world is full of fairness, safety and love." Another step away and the tears became stronger with a slight shaking no of the head. "It is the view of a child, yet you fight with even more passion than Ulquiorra." His hips rose and fell; thrusting into the air, displaying his utter submission and need. He wanted that friction back, that comfort of Aizen's body. "You have his lust not only inside you, it taints your dreams, your thoughts, your actions." Somehow Ichigo's mind had got confused and he couldn't bare punishment now, he wanted hope and comfort. He didn't just want it, he had to _have_ it. "You live your lust openly." Aizen spoke as Ichigo's scowl broke into utter helplessness. The expression he threw up was a puppy needing to please his master. The teens body was a mass of hysteria, confused by the sexual impulses and mental collapse of any retribution. It had all imploded into wanting something for himself and wanting to please another human to get it. That tightly wound coil couldn't get any tighter, his muscles twitched in painful spasms. He needed Aizen. He needed Aizen now. He pleaded with his eyes, pleaded with the sobs that came from his chest. Pleaded with hands and feet that were clenched rigid and a hard on that wept for its lord to hold and lessen the burn.

Aizen smiled and stepped closer to the bed and sat beside Ichigo. He was so close his heat could be felt on the sensitised skin making the boy gaps in anticipation. But terms had to be stated and agreed. Submission was absolute. Speaking as a dictator would win him nothing and so instead he used the voice of a lover, using soft sensual whispers that hushed over the boys troubles. "All I ask is that you let me channel your hopes and dreams with they eyes of an adult who has experienced the unfairness of life a little longer." Fingers soothed through the sweat matted hair. "I'll bind the weaknesses that bleeds from your youthfulness and staunch the flow of your rash behaviour. In that way your own goals can be met." He lent to rest his lips just on the boys promising a kiss as he finished his speech. "You can continue to protect Ichigo. Protect with that over consuming lust for life that you have." Ichigo whimpered as he nodded.

His body wanted to fold in on itself as the kiss broke his damn of need and without anything more than a whisper of Aizen's reiatsu over his desperate cock, it jerked twice and spurted white hot seed over his stomach.

"First rule." Aizen dropped his jacket from his shoulders, his eyes never leaving the sight of Ichigo's face contorted in a painful release. He shifted licking the boys bleeding nipple and hearing a pained cry of joy. "Obey me." Ichigo nodded sobbing loudly and thrusting his head back as Aizen shifted lower, his tongue lapped at the cooling milky coloured juice. "Then you'll never, ever try something like this again." Teeth nipped at the raw stomach wound and Ichigo cried out as it opened. Seed and blood mixed and Aizen sucked them both getting high on such a little amount. He shifted his body covering the boys as he pushed his pants down and let his hard stomach rub the boys erection back to life. Their mouths sought out each other and with almost the fierceness of two tigers they lashed inside. Ichigo wept into Aizen's mouth as he was entered, unprepared, and for the last time in his life taken so violently.

It was divine, it was justified. The pistoning of Aizen and the ugliness of his dominance was the reminder of how far he had come. How far he was about to climb. The pain that ripped through him was washing away everything he had done wrong. Each push into him, pressed more sins out. Each drop of blood cleansed his soul and purified his spirit.

He screamed and yelped into the cavernous mouth that ate up the last anguish inside him. In return it sucked his defiance and depression dry. He needy want built instead and that throbbing ache of sexual frustration that had coiled up and up sprung free as he squealed and hollard his second orgasm.

But Aizen wasn't satisfied. He continued on, abusing and thrusting. Punishments were lessons and if it didn't leave its mark it would be for nothing. It was pointless doing this half hearted the boy needed it to be long lasting and enough to give leverage to a massive change in his thought patterns.

His own endurance was fired by a lofty sexual appetite and it wasn't until Ichigo spasmed for a third time and splattered himself between them again that he slowed and moved more for his own pleasure.

The boy was spent, he could barely utter a moan or shift his head side to side. No doubt he was red raw from the pace and duration. His bindings were biting into his skin, his body was caked thickly in foul substances and tiredness was consuming him fast.

Aizen's stomach contorted, spiking with a rush of his own lust at the beautiful sight of the once proud Kurosaki at his mercy. Dependence was something he thrived on. Looking at it, tasting it and devouring it, over took many of his waking hours. He owned this boy. Owned every single atom of his being. He smirked as he reached out to untie both wrist restraints as the boys limp body still showed some fight. Arms that shook with the tired effort forced themselves around the lords waist and held him. "Is this all you can take?" He asked pressing his mouth into the sun-ray of hair and whispering into the ear it hid. The boy shut his eyes to sleep. "I'm not done with you yet." To make his point he nipped at his ear lobe and Ichigo mumbled his pain. A protesting groan slid from the chapped lips as a large hand cupped his balls and pressed a thumb up the shafts length, teasing it back to life.

"Tired." Ichigo gave a broken whisper.

"Wake up Kurosaki." Ichigo fought hard to open his eyes, but he did. They were bloodshot and weepy but they opened none the less.

"Do you want this? Do you want to obey me this much?" Ichigo nodded. The twist on the mental control was tested, ensuring the submissive could not cope without his fix. "I could find someone else to make me come." The boy shook his head and lifted his chin to to place a kiss on his master and demonstrate his willingness. Aizen watched the boy tense as he pulled out from the horribly torn hole. To push it back in would hurt him, but Ichigo had to want that to happen for the chance of some sweetness in return and not for the sake of absolution from his pains. He had to want to find some happiness too.

The large head began to tip the ring of painful muscle and Ichigo cried lightly into Aizen's shoulder. But the hand fisting him began to make his innards sing with need again. Oh Lord he wanted more, he wanted more of this and more and more. His lips pressed into the hollow of skin at the joint and he panted out his permission. "Please..."

"Please what Ichigo?" Aizen snapped away the last restraints with a click of his fingers. He was sure now beyond doubt that Ichigo wouldn't hurt himself again and happy to trust him. The bindings served their purpose enough.

"Make it good. I want...it good." Aizen smiled into the hair and dragged them both upright, seating Ichigo on his lap whilst still pinning them together. Ichigo whimpered and muttered as the sting burned from the movement but he wanted this too much now. He had to feel that burst again, he had to without fail.

The turn around from the child who had stepped up wanting pain those days before had come a long way. With this slow and careful joining, he would see that happiness was his for the taking too.

Although each time Ichigo's body fell onto the length inside him, it dragged on the inflamed broken skin, he still was overwhelmed with pleasure as each thrust pressed hard onto his prostrate and filling him with heady desperate waves of bliss. It seemed his energy was revived to gasp and howl with wonder. Their chest burned against each other, their arms smothered the other and the linked bodies and soul and reiatsu spiralled around them in a head mixture of unwonton passion. Ichigo finally understood how much pleasure could be gained from a sexual partner. The trust, openness and intimate nature could revitalise a broken mind and mend a fractured heart. He knew the power of need, the solace of it being granted and comfort of being enveloped in another persons arms.

With a scream that tore at his throat, Ichigo shuddered violently as his cum sprayed into the air. His passages pulsated around Aizen and took him that last step to the end. In waves of mind washing elation they rode the waves of mending elixir.

As the last of it passed Ichigo slumped totally exhausted into the arms he would have once ran from. His eyes just had enough energy left to watch Aizen smile at him. He smiled back himself and let sleep take him to pleasant dreams.

It wasn't love. It probably never would be. But it was enough.


	5. Clarity

The room was full of shinigami and hollow alike. It was the first time, Ichigo had managed to see just who had survived this short sorrowful war. Thankfully, with a slight sense of relief, Ichigo noted all his friends were intact. He slid through the narrow opening in the door and leaned back against a wall trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. The Espada took the seats closer to Aizen, their ranks were severely depleted with only Stark and Neliel left alive. Of course Gin was alive and kicking and looking smug.

The daggers of hate filled the room from the super powered Hollows and Ichigo followed their gaze to the few Captains that sat opposite. At least Aizen had allowed them to refresh their battle clothes and heal some what. The first obvious omission in the shinigami ranks was the sotaicho, the old timer must have burned out with style, Soi Fong too. Ichigo realised he would miss neither of them, they'd made his life pretty difficult. Retsu and Byakuya seemed a vision of perfection; cool calm and collected. They could not be intimidated by the mere stares of old enemies. Saijin and Shinsui seemed unharmed and the latter asleep as usual. There was no Hitsugaya which was a pity and Ichigo hoped the missing Ukitake was for no other reason than his condition. Zaraki of course was there brimming with energy and grinning like a wildcat and Ichigo wondered if he was counting the odds. The shinigami had the upper hand in numbers, but not raw power.

Ichigo's eyes wandered to the casual appearance of Aizen. He sat in his throne on the ridiculously high dais looking down with that smile that said so many things and nothing at all. In one hand he held what must be the Key and in the other sat his head. The way he held the key irritated Ichigo, it was so casual. The people who died to make the damn thing obviously mattered still nothing to him, even after what they had seen. Ichigo scowled and glared with his hate as the key was tossed into the air and caught as if the bastard was playing with a ball.

Before he even knew he had reacted, his use of sonido took him to the top of the platform and the key captured in his hand before the Lord could.

"How dare you treat this with such low regard!" He yelled at the man.

Two blades appeared at his neck, one and he suspected Gin, nicked his skin and allowed a trickle of blood to dribble down his neck. Of course Aizen choose not to answer the angry question and watch with interest in how his newest recruit would deal with the threat to his life.

Ichigo couldn't care about Gin, but he did care about the lives of all the thousands wrapped up in the piece of jewellery in his hand. With a bared hand that clawed and turned white he grabbed Gin's blade and snapped it clean in two. The hand didn't remain idle, with speed barely perceptible, Ichigo's palm grew red hot and other blade held by Grimmjow of all people flew back in the air across the room as a blast of a cero shot through his stomach. So it seemed, Aizen noted, the boy could easily defeat two assailants. The hand that had been fleshed momentarily with the tough hierro skin of an Espada turned back its tanned colouration and the wound in his neck healed within the blink of an eye. The new powers Aizen noted must be from his close brush with death and closer integration of his hollow.

"Do you think this is a toy!" Ichigo growled from behind his gritted teeth. "The lives in here mean nothing to you do they?!"

"What would you do? Strike me down?" Aizen's reiatsu slammed down on him and Ichigo's skin beaded with the effort of repelling it. A billowing of dark clouded energy flowed in a ball around the teen and Aizen snapped back his power to reach inside the ball and feel the raw energy fluttering over his skin. "Kill me then." Aizen stood and faced him, he even removed his sword and placed it on his chair. "This will be your only chance to do it."

"Sosuke." Gin said with an edge of warning to his voice, his feet were poised ready to press between the two should the need arise, but the boys faltering made him hesitate. Ichigo had been tested in the bedroom, Aizen trusted Ichigo's loyalty, but he now also had no doubt that the lust he wanted was there too. There could be no other replacement for his number four.

"It seems you still hold compassion in your heart. You replaced Lust, yet the only thing still driving you towards the edge of possibilities is your misplaced concern for others. Not that not one of your _comrades _stood or even twitched to save you when the swords were at your neck."

"Ichigo-kun doesn't need our help." The sickly sweet voice of Orihime echoed around the room. Both Ichigo and Aizen knew the real answer to that one from their intimate encounters and their visit to the real world. Aizen's smirk at Ichigo screamed of how little his friends knew him at all before Aizen turned back to the girl. "Inoue Orihime, I have already grown tired of your existence." Aizen rose finger towards the girl ready to shoot his kido and be rid of her.

"NO!" Ichigo moved with his new speed and with a single hand voided the attack. He looked at Aizen's demeaning smile. "Your stupid mind games again, why do you insist on these games all the time?"

"To repair each dimension I need talents of suitable people. Those who will give their time without hesitation and self interest. They must be worthy of the responsibility." Aizen walked the few paces towards the teen and placed a hand around his neck. Ichigo lifted his head allowing the full breadth of hand to hold him under the jaw, his eyes flashed with that fiery protection that had got him into so much mess already, but at least it showed he was his old self again. "You'd still die for them all?" The voice was not as usual, instead it carried undertones of softness that confused Ichigo. He nodded in response.

"I'd even die for you." He spoke back; Aizen smiled widely and leaned in to place a soft kiss on his lips. The red head made no move to release himself, or to untangle his mouth from the lords.

"Ichigo!" His friends were all shocked to see him so subdued.

"Sit with me." The room seemed to bubble with excitement, intrigue and bemusement. It was not possible they were truly seeing Ichigo sitting himself on the lap of the devil. No scowl evident, not when he still held the Kings key in his own protection.

No his agitation had left and inside himself instead he felt contentment; he felt nothing but the reward of Aizen's hand on his shoulder and it was enough. It was right. The emotional support that he'd been missing was in place and he treasured that. Left to his friends, he would have been bashed around the head and taken a great deal of verbal abuse, even if it was all well meaning, sometimes Ichigo needed that calm reassuring element that once he had from his mother. It was as if this is where he should have always been.

"What have you done to him?" Renji threw the accusation at Aizen, even with Byakuya's calming hand on his sleeve.

"Done? You are implying there is something amiss?" Aizen pierced Renji with a cold stare. The hand that was on his shoulder moved away and Ichigo turned to Renji. His neutral face was closer to something Byakuya normally wore and looked completely out of place on Ichigo. "You may speak with them, you do not need permission."

Ichigo looked at his master and shook his head. "I would rather return our chamber."

"So be it."

"May I keep this?" Ichigo asked sounding much like a child asking after a toy.

"If you keep it safe." Aizen nodded. The teen smiled to himself as he took a last look at the key and then his father. Ichigo let the smile linger and his father shook his head as if confused but accepting. Silence seemed to follow Ichigo as he jumped from the dias and began to head through the accepting crowds of old enemies whilst his companions continued in their disbelief.

Ichigo's body was yanked around as he passed the outspoken scarlet friend and his calm eyes looked into the enraged ones of Renji. The man had fisted his hand into the boys sleeve and was looking at him with extreme anger clearly showing on his face.

"Show some back bone and fight it!"

"Fight what Renji?" Ichigo answered brushing the hand from his sleeve.

"This! You and him! Wake up and be yourself again."

"I have no reason to return to how I was. Everyone is now safe."

"Oh come on. What's the matter with you!"

"Maybe you should return to Soul Society." Ichigo went to dismiss himself again and Renji threw a punch at the arrogance walking away. But within a blink of an eye, his fist was captured by Aizen who flash stepped between them. "War changes people."

"So does blackmail and torture. Something happened." Byakuya backed his lieutenant's thoughts.

"Something did happen." Ichigo's voice broke into their tense atmosphere.

"Well what? Cos I can't see any other reason that this bastard using you for the cause." Renji spat.

"I'm a thing that kills Renji, that loses control. You going to stop me what that happens? You strong enough to beat my hollow? I'm staying here. I'm staying away from you all."

"To protect us." Rukia said with sudden clarity. "You wouldn't hurt us."

"I hurt Ishida. I belong here now, I'll be happy with that." Ichigo looked to his new lover and smiled, this strange meeting seemed to clarify some of his thoughts and worries. "I found a home, someone who understands me...Someone I've fallen in love with."

......

Strange ending? Right ending? Not sure myself to be honest.


End file.
